Milling cutter and a cutting insert for a milling cutter

Abstract

A milling cutter, such as a surface or face milling cutter, and a cutting insert for a milling cutter. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

1. A face milling cutter for cutting aluminum, said face milling cutter comprising:
 a rotary tool body comprising one of: aluminum and an aluminum alloy; 
 said tool body comprising a shank end and a cutting end; 
 said shank end being configured to be connected to a tool holder to permit rotation of said tool body about a central rotational axis, and radial and axial movement of said tool body with respect to the central rotational axis, in a cutting process; 
 said cutting end having an end face being configured to face toward a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said cutting end comprising a plurality of receiving pockets disposed about the periphery thereof; 
 a plurality of cutting inserts; 
 each of said plurality of cutting inserts being disposed in a corresponding one of said plurality of receiving pockets; 
 each of said cutting inserts comprising a through hole; 
 a plurality of fastening screws; 
 each of said fastening screws being disposed to pass through a corresponding one of said through holes to fasten said cutting inserts to said tool body; 
 each of said cutting inserts further comprising:
 a workpiece face ( 12 ) being disposed to extend along a substantially radial direction away from the central rotational axis of said tool body; 
 said workpiece face ( 12 ) being configured and disposed to face toward a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 a front end face ( 16 ) being disposed adjacent and substantially perpendicular to said workpiece face ( 12 ), and to face radially outward and away from the central rotational axis of said tool body; 
 said front end face ( 16 ) being configured and disposed to be disposed substantially transverse to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 a chip-flute wall being disposed substantially transverse to each of said workpiece face ( 12 ) and said front end face ( 16 ), and to extend along a substantially radial direction away from the central rotational axis of said tool body; 
 said chip-flute wall being configured and disposed to be disposed substantially transverse to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 a cutting edge ( 8 ) being disposed at a corner area formed at the intersection of said workpiece face ( 12 ), said front end face ( 16 ), and said chip-flute wall; 
 a chip-breaker wedge being disposed to project out of and away from said chip-flute wall substantially in the direction of rotation said rotary tool body; 
 said cutting edge ( 8 ) being disposed radially further from said central rotational axis of said tool body than said chip-breaker wedge; 
 said chip-breaker wedge comprising a chip-breaker surface ( 26 ) and a bottom side disposed at an acute angle α with respect to said chip-breaker surface ( 26 ); 
 said bottom side being configured and disposed to face a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-breaker surface ( 26 ) being configured and disposed to face away from a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-breaker surface ( 26 ) being configured and disposed to be disposed at an acute angle α to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; and 
 said chip-breaker surface ( 26 ) being configured and disposed to guide a substantial number of aluminum chips produced during cutting of an aluminum workpiece away from both the workpiece and said tool body to minimize damage to the workpiece and said tool body caused by the chips. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The face milling cutter according to  claim 1 , wherein the acute angle α is approximately 45°. 
     
     
       3. The face milling cutter according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the chip-breaker surface is arranged with an inclination towards the cutting direction at an angle of inclination; 
 the chip-breaker surface is curved and forms approximately a quarter circle; 
 the chip-flute wall is arranged at an inclination towards the front end face ( 16 ), at a radial angle of inclination (β1) to the radial direction, so that between the chip-flute wall and the front end face ( 16 ) an angle of <90° is formed; 
 the cutting insert includes a cutting-insert support face, extending in radial direction, for location at the tool, from which a protruding element projects; and 
 the cutting insert comprises a base body and a cutting element fastened on it, which includes the cutting edge ( 8 ). 
 
     
     
       4. The face milling cutter according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the cutting element comprises a diamond cutting material or a boron nitride cutting material; 
 the base body is a sintered base body; 
 the sintered base body is made of a metal powder; 
 the basic material of the sintered base body is iron with admixtures of nickel and copper; 
 the sintered base body is composed of nickel in the range of approximately 3.5-4.5% in weight, of copper in the range of approximately 1.2-1.8% in weight, of molybdenum in the range of approximately 0.4-0.6% in weight, the remainder being iron; and 
 the cutting insert is provided at least in the area of the chip-breaker surface with a sliding layer or a hard-material coating. 
 
     
     
       5. A milling cutter for cutting light metals, said milling cutter comprising:
 a rotary tool body comprising a light metal; 
 said tool body comprising a shank end and a cutting end; 
 said shank end being configured to be connected to a tool holder to permit rotation of said tool body about a central rotational axis, and radial and axial movement of said tool body with respect to the central rotational axis, in a cutting process; 
 said cutting end having an end face being configured to face toward a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said cutting end comprising a plurality of receiving pockets disposed about the periphery thereof; 
 a plurality of cutting inserts; 
 each of said plurality of cutting inserts being disposed in a corresponding one of said plurality of receiving pockets; and 
 each of said cutting inserts further comprising:
 a workpiece face being disposed to extend along a substantially radial direction away from the central rotational axis of said tool body; 
 said workpiece face being configured and disposed to face toward a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 a front end face being disposed adjacent and substantially perpendicular to said workpiece face; 
 a chip-flute wall being disposed substantially transverse to each of said workpiece face and said front end face; 
 a cutting edge being disposed at a corner area formed at the intersection of said workpiece face, said front end face, and said chip-flute wall; 
 a chip-breaker wedge being disposed to project out of and away from said chip-flute wall; 
 said cutting edge being disposed radially further from said central rotational axis of said tool body than said chip-breaker wedge; 
 said chip-breaker wedge comprising a chip-breaker surface and a bottom side disposed at an acute angle with respect to said chip-breaker surface; 
 said bottom side being configured and disposed to face a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said bottom side being connected to and disposed to extend from said workpiece face; 
 said chip-breaker surface being disposed to face substantially toward said corner area; 
 said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to face away from a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to be disposed at an acute angle to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; and 
 said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to guide a substantial number of chips produced during cutting of a workpiece away from both the workpiece and said tool body in which said cutting inserts are mounted to minimize damage to the workpiece and said tool body caused by the chips. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The milling cutter according to  claim 5 , wherein the acute angle lies in the range of approximately 30° to 60°. 
     
     
       7. The milling cutter according to  claim 6 , wherein the acute angle is approximately 45°. 
     
     
       8. The milling cutter according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the chip-breaker surface is arranged with an inclination towards the cutting direction at an angle of inclination (β2). 
 
     
     
       9. The milling cutter according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the chip-breaker surface is curved and forms approximately a quarter circle; 
 the chip-flute wall, is arranged at an inclination towards the front end face, at a radial angle of inclination (β1) to the radial direction, so that between the chip-flute wall and the front end face an angle of <90° is formed; 
 the cutting insert includes a cutting-insert support face, extending in radial direction, for location at the tool, from which a protruding element projects; and 
 the cutting insert comprises a base body and a cutting element fastened on it, which includes the cutting edge. 
 
     
     
       10. The milling cutter according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the cutting element comprises a diamond cutting material or a boron nitride cutting material; 
 the base body is a sintered base body; 
 the sintered base body is made of a metal powder; 
 the basic material of the sintered base body is iron with admixtures of nickel and copper; 
 the sintered base body is composed of nickel in the range of approximately 3.5-4.5% in weight, of copper in the range of approximately 1.2-1.8% in weight, of molybdenum in the range of approximately 0.4-0.6% in weight, the remainder being iron; and 
 the cutting insert is provided at least in the area of the chip-breaker surface with a sliding layer or a hard-material coating. 
 
     
     
       11. The milling cutter according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 said front end face ( 16 ) is configured and disposed to be disposed substantially transverse to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-flute wall is disposed to extend along a substantially radial direction away from the central rotational axis of said tool body; 
 said chip-flute wall is configured and disposed to be disposed substantially transverse to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-breaker wedge is disposed to project substantially in the direction of rotation of said rotary tool body; and 
 said chip-breaker surface ( 26 ) is disposed substantially transverse and at an acute angle to said workpiece face ( 12 ). 
 
     
     
       12. A cutting insert for a milling cutter comprising:
 a workpiece face being configured and disposed to face toward a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 a front end face being disposed adjacent and substantially perpendicular to said workpiece face; 
 a chip-flute wall being disposed substantially transverse to each of said workpiece face and said front end face; 
 a cutting edge being disposed at a corner area formed at the intersection of said workpiece face, said front end face, and said chip-flute wall; 
 a chip-breaker wedge being disposed to project out of and away from said chip-flute wall; 
 said chip-breaker wedge comprising a chip-breaker surface and a bottom side disposed at an acute angle with respect to said chip-breaker surface; 
 said bottom side being configured and disposed to face a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said bottom side being connected to and disposed to extend from said workpiece face; 
 said chip-breaker surface being disposed to face substantially toward said corner area; 
 said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to face away from a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to be disposed at an acute angle to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; and 
 said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to guide a substantial number of chips produced during cutting of a workpiece away from both the workpiece and a tool body in which said cutting inserts are mounted to minimize damage to the workpiece and the tool body caused by the chips. 
 
     
     
       13. The cutting insert according to  claim 12 , wherein the acute angle lies in the range of approximately 30° to 60°. 
     
     
       14. The cutting insert according to  claim 13 , wherein the acute angle is approximately 45°. 
     
     
       15. The cutting insert according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the chip-breaker surface is arranged with an inclination towards the cutting direction at an angle of inclination (β2). 
 
     
     
       16. The cutting insert according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the chip-breaker surface is curved and forms approximately a quarter circle; 
 the chip chip-flute wall is arranged at an inclination towards the front end face, at a radial angle of inclination (β1) to the radial direction, so that between the chip-flute wall and the front end face an angle of <90° is formed; 
 the cutting insert includes a cutting-insert support face, extending in radial direction, for location at the tool, from which a protruding element projects; and 
 the cutting insert comprises a base body and a cutting element fastened on it, which includes the cutting edge. 
 
     
     
       17. The cutting insert according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the cutting element comprises a diamond cutting material or a boron nitride cutting material; 
 the base body is a sintered base body; and 
 the sintered base body is made of a metal powder. 
 
     
     
       18. The cutting insert according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the basic material of the sintered base body is iron with admixtures of nickel and copper; 
 the sintered base body is composed of nickel in the range of approximately 3.5-4.5% in weight, of copper in the range of approximately 1.2-1.8% in weight, of molybdenum in the range of approximately 0.4-0.6% in weight, the remainder being iron; and 
 the cutting insert is provided at least in the area of the chip-breaker surface with a sliding layer or a hard-material coating. 
 
     
     
       19. The cutting insert according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 said front end face ( 16 ) is configured and disposed to be disposed substantially transverse to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-flute wall is disposed to extend along a substantially radial direction away from the central rotational axis of said tool body; 
 said chip-flute wall is configured and disposed to be disposed substantially transverse to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-breaker wedge is disposed to project substantially in the direction of rotation said rotary tool body; and 
 said chip-breaker surface ( 26 ) is disposed substantially transverse and at an acute angle to said workpiece face ( 12 ). 
 
     
     
       20. The cutting insert according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 said front end face ( 16 ) is configured and disposed to be disposed substantially transverse to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-flute wall is disposed to extend along a substantially radial direction away from the central rotational axis of said tool body; 
 said chip-flute wall is configured and disposed to be disposed substantially transverse to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process; 
 said chip-breaker wedge is disposed to project substantially in the direction of rotation said rotary tool body; and 
 said chip-breaker surface ( 26 ) is disposed substantially transverse and at an acute angle to said workpiece face ( 12 ).